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Washington, D.C. - The Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights (IACHR) met yesterday with the Human Rights Public Policy Institute (IPPDH)
of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), as well as with representatives of
MERCOSUR member countries, as part of an ongoing dialogue on potential areas
in which to cooperate and coordinate efforts.

Representatives of the Presidency Pro Tempore of MERCOSUR,
currently held by Uruguay; representatives of three States Party, Argentina,
Uruguay, and Paraguay; and the Executive Secretary of the IPPDH, Víctor
Abramovich, were received October 20 by the full Commission, which had begun
its 143rd regular session the day before.

"We believe the efforts of the MERCOSUR IPPDH and the
IACHR are complementary," Abramovich said. "For the countries that make up
MERCOSUR, the idea is to consider the standards of the inter-American system
as a minimum in terms of human rights," he added.

In this context, Abramovich informed the Commission about
the request for an advisory opinion that Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and
Uruguay presented to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on July 7,
2011, on the matter of States' obligations toward child migrants.

"This is the first time since 1982, when the Court began
its advisory functions, that the four States have gone to the Court to
request an advisory opinion. This demonstrates the firm commitment of the
four States Party to MERCOSUR to continue strengthening the inter-American
human rights system," said the Interim Representative of Uruguay to the
Organization of American States (OAS), Graziella Reyes, speaking as
representative of the Presidency Pro Tempore of MERCOSUR.

The Commissioners thanked the MERCOSUR delegation for the
information it had shared and expressed their interest in working together
with the Human Rights Public Policy Institute. They also informed the
visitors that the IACHR is currently working on a document, to be presented
to the Inter-American Court, on the rights of child migrants.

The meeting between the IPPDH and representatives of
MERCOSUR countries is part of a series of efforts the IACHR is making to
coordinate its work with other regional human rights organizations.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of
American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter
and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission
has a mandate to promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as
a consultative body to the OAS in this matter. The Commission is composed of
seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the
OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or
residence.